ETEC 511 - Foundations of Educational Technology

Renovating the foundations of my understanding of educational technology.

This course defined and mapped key terms and introduced the concepts of curriculum design. Weekly modules explored
the foundations of educational technology as it related to ethics, law,
anthropology, philosophy, history, psychology, economics, ecology and
spirituality. Petrina & Feng (2008) defined technology as "the systematic, purposeful manipulation of the material world" (p.3) which includes the four components of "materials, technique, power, and tools or machines." My renovations in understanding technology was done through a systematic process of "applying power by some technique through some medium of some tool or machine to alter some material in a useful way" (Roland, 1992, p. 83 as referenced in Petrina & Feng, 2009).

Immediate Value

A meaningful activity described and my experience of it.

One of the most meaningful activities in ETEC 511 was the discourse leadership group (DLG) experience. This was my first course in the program, after many years away from 'serious academic endeavour'. Through the DLG, I experienced a supportive collaboration across time zones to complete a purposeful task. The global nature of the class was exciting. Skype and chat sessions kept the tasks manageable. Just as renovators open walls and expose the foundations, this experience opened my thinking about the global nature of education and the underlying considerations in educational technologies. The wiki created for this group project is found at http://economicsofedtech.wikispaces.com/

Potential Value

Specific resource from this activity and why it is useful

The specific resource produced was a wiki presentation with an embedded podcast and prezi. This task was useful primarily as a model of a purpose driven course assignment. By applying theoretical and academic content into this week long group presentation I not only acquired skills using familiar and new web based tools, but clarity and understanding of foundational concepts.

Applied Value

How I used this resource in my practice and what it has enabled.

Although I did not apply this resource in any explicit way, I did apply the skills acquired while completing the DLG to my professional practice. I was able to integrate and explore concepts with others to deepen their understanding of the potential and limitations of educational technology. This would not have happened without the ‘purposeful learning’ that occurred in this DLG. Through the 'systematic manipulation of the material world' (Petrina & Feng, 2008), by using podcasting, prezi, wikispaces and asynchronous communication tools, my ability to use and create with technology was renovated.

Realized Value

Personal and organizational affect and success resulting from the activity and artifacts.

Personal, rather than organizational, success resulted in an increased confidence in my ability to
participate in meaningful academic discourse and apply educationally sound technology tools. Applications and connections to my personal and professional life resulted from this DLG activity.

Reframed Value

New definition of success

Sherry Turkle's story of relationships between psychoanalysis and computer information processing resulted in a reframing of the value of this DLG project. Her comparison of computer designer and computer user resulted in a profoundly renovating statement for me - "Technologies are never 'just tools'. They are evocative objects. They cause us to see ourselves and our world differently." (Turkle, 2004, p.18).

My passion, interest and aptitude with technology was shaken to the foundation. What I do, and how I teach, with technology will forever change how I, and my students, see and experience the world. The DLG project was the beginning of many reframed understandings.

New Tools

Web CT

UBC library access and Refworks

Prezi

podcasting

wikispaces

Each of these tools caused extensive deconstruction of previously held understandings, actions and applications in how personal and group learning can be accomplished.

New Skills

ETEC 511 introduced me to collaborative learning spaces that span distance and time. Familiar ways of doing group work were renovated into a global, connected, learning community. New skills including time management, academic writing, open communication, and researching library resources through the electronic medium. Exploring open source technologies was an additional skill acquired through the DLG project.